Distributing machine



Oct. 11, 1960 M. FIEHL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1954 INVENTOR MICHAEL FIEHL m41@ ATTORNEY Oct.` ll, 1960 yM. FlEHL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE 2 sheetssheet 2 Filed Dec. l5, 1954 United States Patent DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Michael Fiehl, Endicott, N.Y., assiguor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 15, 1954, Ser. No. 475,518

9 Claims. (Cl. 209-110) -This invention relates to record controlled record distributng machines and more particularly to improvements in Ia pocket selecting mechanism for selecting the proper pocket into which a record is to be deposited.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved selecting mechanism for selecting the distributing pockets to which the records are to be conveyed.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved pocket selecting mechanism which can be operated at a high rate of speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide .an improved mechanism for operating sort checking contacts.

Briefly, the distributing mechanism of the present invention includes a plurality of distributing blades with their ends disposed progressively along the path of travel 30 of the record cards to be sorted. The cards are supported in their travel by la plate having -a series of openings therein with the ends of the distributing blades resting on the plate between each of the openings. A plurality of deilectors are provided for cooperating with related 35 blades and are adapted to move through the openings in the plate. Each deflector is carried by -a resilient member which is connected to the armature of a magnet. This magnet is operable at differential times in response to the sensing of a representation on a card by the sort sensing brush to cause the resilient members to be actuated lat the differential times, whereby a selected number of the deectors are urged above the card line into the path of the sensed card and the card is directed over a selected blade upon engagement with the first selected deector for distribution in the proper pocket. The card covers each opening in the support plate successively as it advances in its travel so that only those deflectors whose related openings are not covered by the advancing card are moved into the path of the card. A checking contact is provided for each resilient member and a spring element is included in each checking contact. These contacts are located in a sort checking circuit of the type which is well-known in the art. The free end of each spring element underlies the tip of the related resilient member and is normally held in one position thereby. The spring element moves to contact operating position when the related resilient member moves its detlector above the card line. After fthe "12 time in the sorting 60 cycle, a test impulse can be applied in the checking circuit through the contacts which have not been operated.

` Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by Way of examples, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the portion of a distributing machine in which the invention may be embodied.

Patented oet. 11, 1960 tion are disclosed in Patent No. 2,615,569, issued October 28, 1952, to C. D. Lake et a1. Since the aforesaid patent describes the machine in detail, it is unnecessary to give more than a very brief description ,of the general features herein, except to point ont wherein the improvements of the present invention are applied.

A group of record cards which may consist of the usual record cards designed 20 (Fig. 1) is placed in a magazine and removed one at a time from the bottom of the magazine by a picker 21 mounted on a slide 22 and ractuated by arms 23, the latter being fixed to a shaft 24 journalled in the frame work. A link 25 pivoted to one of the arms 23 is also pivotally connected to a crank pin 26 carried by a crank arm 27 on ,a shaft 28 which is driven at a rate of one revolution per card cycle through the yusual spiral gearing (not shown) connecting shaft 28 -and the main drive shaft of the machine. Each record card advanced from the magazine by the picker 21 is engaged by a pair of feed rollers 30, driven by spiral gearing from the main drive shaft and is fed by these rollers to the left to pass a sensing brush 31 which coacts with a contact roll 32 to sense data designating perforations in the records.

n As the record card passes beneath the sensing brush 31,

it also passes over a series of detlectors 33 which are nor-` mally positioned below the card line and beneath the up# turned ends of distributing blades 34 leading to the usual receiving pockets (not shown) of which thirteen may be provided, twelve to correspond with the l2 index point positions in the columns of the record cards `and one for records having no perforatiolns in the particular column sensed by the brush 31. The latter pocket is commonly termed the reject pocket. Suitable feed rollers like 35 and 36 driven from the main drive shaft through suitable 9 spiral gears serve to convey the cards to the various pockets selected by operation of a magnet 37, such records being guided to the appropriate pockets by the distributing blades 34.

The features of novelty of the present invention reside in the construction yand operation of the pocket selecting mechanism and checking device associated therewith. These devices are mounted on a support plate 38 (Fig. l) which extends between the machine'side frames. A bed plate 39 is secured to the frame work and supports the 4record cards advancing through the selecting mechanism. The plates 38 and 39 are composed of lany suitable insulating material. The ends of the distributing blades 34 rest on the surface of bed plate 39 which has an opening located ahead of each blade end. The detle-ctors 33 are normally positioned below the card line and are adapted to move through. the corresponding opening into the path of an advancing card above the card line.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it is seen that the action of the deflectors 33 is under control of the magnet 37 which has an armature 40. Secured to the armature 40 is a plurality of flat spring members 41 each of which carries a deflector 33. Magnet 37 is fastened to a bracket 42 which carries at its free end a bar 43. This bar extends loosely through a slot 40a in the armature 40, the bar serving as a stop which prevents lateral movement of This machine is well known in the art and its various details of construction and manner of operav the armature. The armature is seated on the free end of bracket 42 which acts as a fulcrum about which the armature can be turned. A spring 44 holds armature 40 against bracket 42 and a pair `of adjustable stops 45,Y so that it normally rests in the position shown inFig. 3. The pole4 face of magnet 37 abuts a plate `46 comprised of magnetizablematerial and upon energization of the mag-,

nct the plate 46 is magnetized to attract armature 40 which pivots clockwise on bracket 42 against the pressure of spring 44. This movement of the .armature moves the deiectors 33 through their respective openings in bed plate 39 and into the path of an advancing card. If a card has already entered the selecting mechanism, `the detlectors 33 will only move through those openings not covered by the` card as shown in Fig. 2. Thisis made possible by the resilient mounting of the deflectors. When the `card encounters the first deector in its path, it is detlected upwardly to pass over the related distributing blade 34 and directed to the selected pocket.

The tip of each hat spring is provided with a magnetizable angle member 47 secured thereto through an insulating connector 48V carrying an insulating block 49 which operates a spring contactor 52. The left end of each contactor 52 is hooked, as shown in Fig. 3, with the hooks extending through separate holes in a plate 50 which forms one side of a contactor support frame. The contactors 52 are biased toward engagement with a row of mating contactors 5-1 by means of pins 57 which are embedded in an insulating block 53. The contactors S1 are held between two insulating strips54 and 55 which form the top of the support frame. Strip 54 is secured by means of cement or other well known adhesive materialto a plate 56 comprised of magnetizable material. When the detiectors 33 are innormal position below the card line, the blocks 49 engage contactors 52 to hold them outof engagement with the mating contactors 51.

A magnet 58 is fastened to a bracket 59 and has its pole face abutting the plate 56 which is provided with a recess 56a to receive one leg of the angle member 47.

From Fig. 4 it is seen that this magnet is impulsed late in the sorting cycle to hold the checking contacts closed for the test impulse. if a defiector is not held below the card line by a card, the angle member 47 is moved against the surface of plate recess 56a by armature 40. The plate 56 ismagnetized by energization of magnet 5S and exerts an attractive force on member 47 toform a seal between the plate and the angle member. This sealing action insures proper engagement between the contactors 52 and the contactors S1.

Now the purpose and function of the magnet 5S is to operate in a timed sequence with a sort checking circuit in order to determine that a sensed card has entered the right pocket. This is accomplis-hed by pulsing the magnet 53 to check to see whether the deflector 33 was up as it should have been in order to deflect the card into the proper pocket. lf magnet 37 was pulsed so that the armature 40 was pivoted. to urge the deflector 33' upward, and if a card was not already over the deector 33 to hold it down, then the angle member 47 should be at or near the pole piece 56a. Therefore, when the magnet 5S is energized to check the particular pocket, the angle member being closer to the pole piece 56a will be attracted to it and the contact member 52 will pivot about 57 so as to engage the contact 51. If this was the proper pocket as determined by the deector 33, the sort checking circuit will make the comparison for this determination. However, if the deector is down when it should have been `up, and it Vis being held down by a card urging the flexible spring member 41 down, the angle member 47 will be closer to the :pole piece on 59 so that when the magnet 58 is energized, the angle member 47 will be attracted to the pole piece on 59. This will then hold doWn'theright-hand portion of thc contact member 52 and4 hold it away from Athe contact member 51. Therefore,when the sort checking circuit is made, it will com,-

pare and show that the card did not enter the proper pocket since the delector 33 was not up as it should have been.

peralion of the device The ends of the blades 34 (Fig. l) are so disposed relative to the sensing brush 31 that when, for example, an 8 hole in the record card is sensed, the leading edge of the record card in which the hole appears will occupy a position approximately one sixty-fourth of an inch under the blade 34 leading to the 9 pocket. At this time, energization of magnet 37 as a consequence of the 8 hole being sensed by brush 31 will cause the plate 46 to be magnetized and armature 40 to turn clockwise about bar 43. This movement of the armature moves the deector for the "8 pocket and all following deflectors through their openings in bed plate 39 into the path of the advancing card. The deflector for the "9 pocket is held down by the card and the related spring 41 is flexed. When the card engages the deflector for the "8 pocket, it is deected upwardly between the "8 and "9 blades 34. The rollers 35 and 36 then convey the card to the 8 pocket. The wire contactors 52 associated with each deector which has been raised above the card line are f brought into engagement with their mating contactors 51. Since the deiiector for the "9 pocket was held down by the card, the related angle member '47 does not seal against the plate 56 and the Wire contactors do not engage. It is noted in Fig. 4 that the impulse to energize the magnet 58 is provided at 284 and continues until 309 of the sorting cycle.-

The wire contactors 51 and 52 are connected by wires 60 and 61 respectively in a well known sort checking circuit of the type shown and described in the aforemeni tioned U. S. Patent No. 2,615,569, granted to C. D. Lake et al. Attention is particularly directed to Fig. 48g of the drawings and columns 65 through 67 of the description. After "12 time in the sorting cycle, a test impulse is supplied through the contactors 51 and 52 at approximately 288 and endures until 300 (Fig. 4). The contactors 51 correspond to the contact segments 145g of the structure shown in the patent.

The sensing of a 9 hole by'the brush 31 causes the deector for the "9 pocket and all following defiectors to be moved tln'ough their openings in bed plate 39 in a similar manner to that described above the "8 pocket and the card is deflected upwardly to pass over the top blade for eventual deposit in the 9 pocket. In the instance where the card is blank and no perforation is sensed by brush 3l, the magnet 37 is not energized and the card passes beneath al1 of the distributing blades 34 for deposit in the reject pocket.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it `will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and `in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. lt is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What -is claimed is:

l. In a record card distributing machine, means to feed record cards having data representations along a path of travel, means for sensing said representations as the cards pass along said path of travel, a plurality of distributing blades each having an end disposed progressively along the path of travel of said cards, the means for feeding the cards positionedto pass a card through the sensing means and to pass said ends, a plurality of movable deectors normally located below the path of travel of the card and each deector being capable of deecting the card over the said end of the related blade when located above the path of travel, means operable in response to ...JA A

operably connected to the means operable at differential times, the sensing of a representation on a card by said sensing means causing said deiiectors to be actuated at said d-iterential times, whereby a selected number or said deectors are moved into the path of said card and said card is deilected over a selected blade.

2. In a machine for distributing record cards having a column of value representing positions, said positions being spaced at regular intervals along said column, means to feed said cards along a path of travel, means for receiving said cards from the feeding means for sensing a value in said column, support means for =receiving the cards from the sensing means and for sup-porting said cards in their travel, said supporting means having a series of openings therein, a plurality of distributing blades each having an end resting on said supporting means between each of the openings so that the cards normally pass between the blades and supporting means, a plurality of deectors each movable to deflect a card over the said end of a related blade at said end when the deector is moved through and above one of the openings, said deflectors being normally located below the line of travel of the cards, means operable at a selected instant in response to the sensing of said value on a card by said sensing means for Aurging said deiiectors through said openings to a position above and in the path of travel of the cards, and means for resiliently connecting said delectors to the means operable in response to the sensing of a card value, whereby a selected number of said deectors are moved into the path of said card and said card is deected over a selected blade.

3. In a machine for distributing differing record elcments, means for sensing the dilerences in said elements,v

a plurality of distributing blades with their ends disposed progressively along a line of travel of said elements to receive the record elements from the sensing means, means for feeding said elements to the sensing means and to pass said blade ends, the line of travel being defined by the means for sensing, lthe feeding means and the distributing blades, a plurality of dellectors for cooperating with related blades and normally located below the line of travel of said elements and operable to be located above the line of travel of said elements, and each deiiector being capable of deecting the card over the end of a related blade when located above the line of travel, means operable in response to the sensing of a difference on an element by said sensing means at diierential times, a resilient member to carry each deflector and operably connected to the means operable at different times, the sensing of a difference on an element by said sensing means causing said resilient members to be actuated at said diiierential times, whereby at least one of certain of said deectors is urged above the record element line into the path of said element and said element is dellected over a certain blade, a checking contact for each resilient member, and a spring element included in each checking contact and normally held in one position by the related resilient member, said spring element being actuated to operate the related contact when the related resilient member moves its deilector above the card line.

4. In `a machine for distributing diler-ing record elements, means for sensing the differences in said elements, a plurality of distributing blades with their ends disposed progressively along a path of travel of said elements as they pass from the sensing means, means for feeding said elements to pass said sensing means and said blade ends which also form a part of the path of travel of said element, a plurality `of deiiectors vfor cooperating with related blades and normally located below the line of ythe path of travel of said elements, and operable to be located above and in the line of the path of travel of said elements, and each dellector being capable of deflecting the card over a related blade :at one of the stated ends of said related blade when located above and in the vpath of travel, means operable in response in the sensing of a dilerence' on an element by said' sensing means at `differential times, la resilient member to ca'rry each'deflector and operably connected at one end to the means operable at diierential times, the other end of said member being provided with a contact operating tip, the sensing of a dilerence on -an element by said sensing means, causing said resilient members to be actuated at said differential times, whereby at least one of certain of said deflectors is urged above the record element line' into the path of said element and said element is deflected over a certain blade, a checking contact for each resilient member, and 1a spring element included in each checking contact, the free end of said spring` element underlying the tip of the related resilient member and normally held in one position thereby, said spring element moving to contact operating position when the related resilient member moves its deliector above the card line.

5. In a machine for distributing record cars having data representations, means for sensing said representations, a plurality of distributing blades with their ends disposed progressively along a path of travel of said cards to receive the cards from the sensing means, means for feed-ing said cards along the path of Itravel to the sensing means and `to pass said blade ends, a plurality of deflectors for cooperating with related blades and normally located below and out of the path of travel of said cards and operable to be located above and in the path of travel of the car-ds, and each deector being capable of deecting the card over a related blade .at one of the stated ends of said related blade when located above and in the path of travel, means operable in response to the sensing of a representation on a card by said sensing means at differential times, a resilient member to carry each -deector and operably connected to the means operable at differential times, the sensing of a representation on a card by said sensing means causing said resilient members to be actuated at said diterential times, whereby at least one of certain of said deliectors is urged above and into the path of travel of said card and said card is deflected over a certa-in blade, a checking contact comprising a pair of contactors normally held in one position and operable by each resilient member, and means to seal said contactors in an operative position after the contactors are operated by the related resilient member moving its deilector above the card line.

6. In a distributing mechanism, a plurality of distributing members each having :an end disposed progressively along the path of travel of record elements to be sorted, means for feeding said elements to pass said ends, sensing means for sensing said elements received from the feeding means, the sensing means being positioned before the plurality of distributing members along the path of travel of the record elements, means for supporting the elements in their travel, said supporting means having a series of openings therein with the ends of said distributing members resting on said supporting means between each of the openings, a plurality of deflectors for cooperating with related members `and adapted to move through said openings, means for mounting said deflectors so that each of said deflectors is normally located below the path of travel of the elements, and operable in response to said sensing means for urging said deflectors through said openings to a position above and in the path of travel of the elements, whereby one of the selected number of said deliectors is moved into the path of an element so as to deliect the element over Ia related member at its end of said related member when located above `and in the path of travel.

7. The mechanism `as set forth in claim 6, wherein an element covers each opening in the supporting means successively, as it :advances in its travel yand the mounting means includes a resilient member for each of the Y deflectors, whereby only those detlectors whose related openings in the supporting means are not covered by the advancing element are moved into the path of the element.`

8. 41111 a distributing mechanism, a plurality of distributing blades each having-amend disposed progressively along f the path of travel of-record cards `to be sorted, means for feeding said cards nto pass Isaid ends, sensing means for record elements, a plate rfor supporting the cardsA in their travel, said plate having -a series `of openings therein with the ends of said'blades `resting on said plate between each of the openings, a plurality of members for cooperating with related blades and adapted to move through said openings, means lfor supporting said members so that each of` said members `is Anormally Ilocated below the pathof travel `of the cards, and operable in response to said sensing means for urging said members through said openings to a position above and'in the card path, whereby one of the selected number of said members is moved into the path of a card so as to deflect the card over the statedY end of a selected blade upon engagement with Vthe first selected member.

9. The mechanism as set forth in claim-8, `wherein the,

means for urging the members through the openings in 1 the plate comprises a magnet providedwith an `armature` and the supporting means vincludes a resilient mounting for each member through which each member is secured tothe armature of said magnet, said magnet being operable'when energized to move a selected number of said members into the path of a card.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,930,266 Ford Oct. 10, 1933- 2,123,237 Ford July 12, 1938f 2,615,569 Lake Oct. 28, 1952 2,635,769 Miskey Apr. 21, 11953 2,838,175 Lake et al. June 10, 1958 2,846,066 i Sloat Aug. 5, 1958- 2,846,067 Manning Aug. 5, 1958` 

1. IN A RECORD CARD DISTRIBUTING MACHINE, MEANS TO FEED RECORD CARDS HAVING DATA REPRESENTATIONS ALONG A PATH OF TRAVEL, MEANS FOR SENSING SAID REPRESENTATIONS AS THE CARDS PASS ALONG SAID PATH OF TRAVEL, A PLURALITY OF DISTRIBUTING BLADES EACH HAVING AN END DISPOSED PROGRESSIVELY ALONG THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID CARDS, THE MEANS FOR FEEDING THE CARDS POSITIONED TO PASS A CARD THROUGH THE SENSING MEANS AND TO PASS SAID ENDS, A PLURALITY OF MOVABLE DEFLECTORS NORMALLY LOCATED BELOW THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE CARD AND EACH DEFLECTOR BEING CAPABLE OF DEFLECTING THE CARD OVER THE SAID END OF THE RELATED BLADE WHEN LOCATED ABOVE THE PATH OF TRAVEL, MEANS OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO THE SENSING OF A REPRESENTATION ON THE CARD BY SAID SENSING MEANS AT DIFFERENTIAL TIMES, EACH OF SAID DEFLECTORS BEING OPERABLY CONNECTED TO THE MEANS OPERABLE AT DIFFERENTIAL TIMES, THE SENSING OF A REPRESENTATION ON A CARD BY SAID SENSING MEANS CAUSING SAID DEFLECTORS TO BE ACTUATED AT SAID DIFFERENTIAL TIMES, WHEREBY A SELECTED NUMBER OF SAID DEFLECTORS ARE MOVES INTO THE PATH OF SAID CARD AND SAID CARD IS DEFLECTED OVER A SELECTED BLADE. 